Vending machine having article releasing mechanism



. I im.

March 22, 1960 E. c. JOHNSON 2,929,533

VENDING MACHINE HAVING ARTICLE RELEASING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan; 2. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 AI i l J'-- I 224 r230 22a 4= T r I ArwRNEK March 22, 1960 E. c. JOHNSON 2,929,533

VENDING MACHINE HAVING ARTICLE RELEASING MECHANISM Original Filed Jan. 2. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm; L

IN VEN TOR.

4 TmRN E United States Patent '6 VENDING MACHmE HAVING ARTICLE I RELEASING MECHANISM Elmer C. Johnson, Kansas City, Mo., assignor to The Vendo Company, Kansas City, M0., a corporation of Missouri Original application January 2, 1952, Serial No. 264,405, now Patent No. 2,762,524, dated September 11, 1956. Digided and this application April 2, 1956, Serial No. 57 ,464

6 Claims. (Cl. 221-67) This invention relates to the field of vending merchandise particularly through use of automatic machines of the type capable of dispensing the articles singly upon insertion of a coin.

More specifically, the present invention relates to improvements in vending machines of the staggered stack type such as disclosed in U.S. Letters Patent No. 2,369,- 882 dated February 20, 1945, and my Patents No. 2,585,- 011 and No. 2,585,012, both dated February 12, 1952.

In vending machines of the kind disclosed in the aforesaid patents it is possible to surreptiously reach into the cabinet of the machine through the article-discharge opening thereof, manipulate the articles of the stacks and to remove an article without the necessity of inserting a' coin as is contemplated by the normal operation .of the machine.

It is therefore, one of the most important objects of the present invention to provide means in staggered stack vending machines for preventing malicious robbing and removal of the contents thereof in absence of insertion of a coin in the proper manner.

Another important object of this invention is to provide in a vending machine, structure underlying the stacks of articles and movable to release one article at a time as in the above mentioned patent and co-pending applications, together with apparatus operating in conjunction therewith to receive the released article and holding the same against discharge to the customer until the next cycle of operation, thereby presenting a block to access and thereby manipulation of the stacks themselves for the purpose of stealing the contents by those who may be so inclined.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide vending mechanism for articles of merchandise arranged in a pair of staggered stacks that includes a device having a pair of parallel members, the device being swingable to the end that the two members alternately discharge or release the articles which they support.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide improved, actuating means which contemplates restraining of the primary article-supporting roller to a rectilinear path of reciprocation as in the prior inventions above identified, the anti-theft means in each case being swingable along an arcuate path of travel in timed relationship to the reciprocable movement of the said primary roller.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a form of actuation which includes swinging of the anti-theft means by a direct connection with a prime mover, the reciprocation of the primary roller being in response to the swinging movement of the antitheft means.

An additional object of this invention is to provide an improvement upon the structure for reciprocating the primary roller and including a swingable arm having a roller connection not only with the prime mover but with the main reciprocating support for the staggered stacks of merchandise.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line II of Fig. 2, showing the improved article releasing mechanism of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on line IIII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, cross-sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1, parts being broken away for clearness.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, detailed, cross-sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line VV of Fig. 1 excepting only that in Fig. 5 the primary roller for supporting the staggered stacks is at one end of its path of travel rather than midway between the ends thereof as shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 5 except that the said primary roller is at the opposite end of its path of travel.

This is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 264,405 filed January 2, 1952, now U.S. Letters Patent No. 2,762,524 issued September 11, 1956.

As will hereinafter appear, the articles to be dispensed are stored within a suitable cabinet in pairs of stacks, the articles of one stack being offset or staggered with respect to its corresponding adjacent stack. The invention contemplates additionally the provision of a primary roller underlying the staggered stacks and confined to rectilinear, horizontal reciprocation. When the primary roller is beneath one of the stacks, the lowermost articleof the latter rests upon the roller and thus'both stacks are restrained against downward movement.

The anti-theft means shown in the drawings is in the nature of a swingable rod or element 200. A plurality of pairs of staggered stacks of articles 202 are shown in Fig. 3 synchronized for successive vending from vertical chutes or compartments 204, but since the form and operation of each assembly is the same only one need be described. Fig. 3 does however, illustrate how a plurality of side-by-side identical assemblies may be provided.

Shaft 206 of primary rotatable roller or elongated member 268, in underlying engagement with the pair of stacks of articles 202, is provided with small rollers 210 and 212 on the ends thereof freely rotatable within the openings in the arms comprising channel members 214 and 216 respectively. Channel members 214 and 216 are pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof by pins 218 and 220 respectively.

As is clear in Figs. 3, 5, and 6, the opposed walls of the cabinet, having guide slots 222 for the roller 20%, are likewise provided with arcuate slots 224 for the swingable rod 200 that interconnects the channel members 214- and 216. The channel member 216 is provided with an outwardly facing channel 226 receiving a roller or pin means 228 that is in turn mounted on a crank 230 secured to the drive shaft of a prime mover I. Roller 208 has guide means 232 on the shaft 206 thereof that slide along the slots 222 as roller 208 is reciprocated by prime mover 231. Shaft 206 is likewise provided with a pair of supporting and guiding discs 234 that roll along horizontal tracks 236 and with a pair of sprocket wheels 238 that roll along racks 240.

It is seen that during reciprocation of the roller 20% by energization of prime mover 231,'articles 202 are discharged first from the roller 208 and thence from the rod 206. Thus one cycle of operation of the device involves movement of the roller 208 from a position at which it directly supports the lowermost article in one stack to a position at which it directly supports the lowermost article in the other stack, along with the simul- Patented Mar. 22, 1960 1 taneous assoeiated'movements of the various other parts laterally supporting and guiding means for-laterallysup porting and guiding a pair. of staggered vertical stacks of 1 articles, a horizontaldisposed elongated member, means in said housing mounting said elongated member for horizontal reciprocation across the lowerend of said laterally supporting and guiding means, said elongated member adapted vertically to support such stacks by engagement withthe lowermost article thereof, drive means for driving said elongated member in horizontal reciprocation j of said elongated member travel at the same speed comprise sprocket wheels mounted respectively on the ends of said elongated member and rack means fixedly mounted in the housing adjacent the ends of the elongated 6 member, said sprocket wheels respectively engaging said rack means;

v 4. A vending machine asdescribed in claim 1 wherein' the means to oscillate said arm includes a second elongated opening in said arm, a crank having pin means 10 on its end, means driving said crank in rotary motion,

said second elongated opening receiving said pin means. 5; A vending machine'as described in claim 1 wherein a second arm is pivotally mounted in said housing member under the opposite endof said elongated structure whereby periodically the lowermost of ,such articles .is from the end received into said first-mentioned arm, said individually released, said drive means including an arm having an opening therein adjacent its upper end and being pivotally mounted intermediate. its ends in the housing below one end of 'said'elongated member, the

opening in said arm receiving a portion of said elongated member whereby oscillation of said arm will cause reciprocation of said elongated member, means to OSCllboth ends of said elongated member travel at the same.

speed.

3. A vending machine as described in claim 2 wherein said means to assure that during their travel both ends second am having above its pivot an elongated opening receiving the end of said elongated member-opposite the end received by the elongated opening insaid first-mentioned arm, the lower end of said second-men tioned arm secured to the opposite end of the element from the end secured to the lower end of said first mentioned arm. 7 o

6 A vending machine as described in claim 1 wherein said arm comprises a channel-shaped'member, and

the opening is the opening in the channel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I Poling vet a1: L. Nov. 15, 1927 1,711,021 Hoopes Apr. 30, 1929 2,585,011 Johnson ....-"Feb. 12, 1952 2,585,012 Johnson Feb. 12, 1952 2,615,773 I Holt petal Oct. 28, 1952 lohnson' Sept. 11, 1956 

